KATHMANDU: Nepal Satellite Telecom (NST) Pvt Ltd is launching GSM service commercially from mid-October. “NST is also going to provide its voice and data services,” Ajeya Raj Sumargi, executive director at NST said adding that NST will start its operation from the rural areas and will launch its GSM service within a year at Kathmandu. “Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has granted number 96 for the NST service users. Similarly, initial number will be 3 and a ten-digit number, Sumargi added. For the operation of telephone service, all the required system, accessories, main core system, base station sub system and solar system are ready. The NST telecom service with its best of technology will also start its services at 273 village development committees (VDCs). Mukti Shree Telecom (Nepal), Sewa Telecom Pvt Ltd (Bangladesh), Pakistan Mobile Communication (Pakistan) and Air Bell Company (Cyprus) are the major investors of Nepal Satellite Telecom (NST). “Its services will be started from the unprofitable areas that is the reason why it is getting more facilities compared to others,” said Asmita Sumargi, chairman of NST. According to NTA, NST has Basic Telecommunication Service license under which it also has license for limited mobility service — only for landline. NST got its license on February 17, 2008 and according to the licence it has to start its services from the mid western region, followed by Far Western Region, Western region and only after it can bring its service to the Kathmandu Valley. The company primarily has a total investment of $25 million and Nabil Bank and Nepal Investment Bank Ltd (NIBL) have provided credit facility to the company. It is also planning to bring international gateway, CDMA and landline PSTN services in near future. The company will be granting employment to 160 Telecom experts both from national and international level. There are already three players in the market — Nepal Telecom (NT), Spice Nepal and United Telecom Ltd (UTL). Among them NT plans to distribute 2.2 million GSM mobile in the fiscal year 2009-10, increase the number of CDMA to 0.4 million and 50,000 more land line services. According to the NTA data of last May, Spice Nepal has service penetration of one in 100 population. With its market share of 40.27 per cent and NT with 59.73 per cent.

NIBL, NDEX ink accord

KATHMANDU: Nepal Derivative Exchange (NDEX) and Nepal Investment Bank Ltd (NIBL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to operate banking services for the members and clients of NDEX. According to the MoU, the objective of the alliance is to provide online banking facility for exchange members and clients for all of its transactions for clearing and settlement. Through the association the members and clients of NDEX will experience a hassle free trading and settlement operation which will go a long way in developing closer ties and making transactions safer and transparent. NDEX has invited expression of interest from nationwide commodities and derivative broker companies. It will start its operation after Tihar providing platform for nationwide traders and investors on various sectors of commodities like metal, energy and agro products and its derivatives. Jyoti Prakash Pandey, general manager of NIBL said that the launch of the new services shall be pivotal step in the continuous effort to strive for excellence by delivering value to the customers by redefining the boundaries of the existing business and inventing and reinventing products. — HNS